$150K bond for man charged in fatal 1-88 crash

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A truck driver’s bond was set at $150,000 this morning for the crash that killed a tollway worker and seriously injured a state trooper.

Renato Velasquez, 46, is being held in the DuPage County jail.

He’s charged with operating a commercial vehicle while fatigued, failing to yield to emergency vehicles, making a false report of record and duty status, driving beyond the 14 hour and 11 hour rules, and failure to reduce speed.

His truck crashed into tollway worker Vincent Petrella and trooper Douglas Balder while they were helping a driver on the right lane and shoulder, of I-88 Monday night.

Petrella was killed and Balder is in critical, but stable condition.

Petrella had a wife, a 7 year old daughter, and a four year old son.

He worked for the tollway since he started as a toll collector 13 years ago.

State police spokeswoman Monique Bond says Petrella’s truck had its flashing arrow on, so drivers were warned to move over.

Weather did not appear to play a role in the accident.

Balder is a Navy reservist who returned from a deployment in Africa in June.